Future Split
by KidHeart4
Summary: What happens when the team goes back in time during this adaptation of the episode "Beak to the Future"? How does Duke react when he finds an alternate version of someone he holds so dear to his heart?


Future Split

By: KidHeart4

Though Grin had always told us not to judge by outward appearances, the entire team agreed that we shared the same uneasiness as we looked up at the looming skyscraper. Something felt off as it towered over us, casting an omnimus shadow over the Migrator.

I noticed as Duke got out of his seat beside mine, but for some reason I didn't get up as everyone else did.

"Ya okay sweetheart?" Duke asked while placing a hand on my shoulder.

"I think so," I answered quietly as I got up.

Though once inside the feeling persisted despite Phil urging us along. The hallway had a venomous snake motif, with a cold blue interior. As we went through a pair of large, iron doors a chill ran up my spine while dozens of snakes loomed over us from their terrariums. Each of them hissed as we entered the room, and I froze when I noticed the entire wall from floor to ceiling held them. Something in my core told me to get out, but I stood firmly beside Duke. However I did reach for his hand as subtely as I could when the man at the desk infront of us spun around in his chair.

Phineous P. Viper was more snake than man it seemed as he welcomed us with a calm and collected voice, that sounded as though he were more hungry than friendly. He was dressed for buisness with his hair slicked back. Wrapped around him was yet another snake that hissed at us as he turned around in his chair, sitting calmly at his desk.

After a brief attempt of him trying to buy our franchise and home we found ourselves leaving rather quickly. As we left Wildwing closed the door behind us, firmly stating, "The Mighty Ducks aren't for sale Mr. Viper!"

Once back in the Migrator I let out a deep breath I had been holding since Mr. Viper had greeted us. Something about the man had made me feel like I was prey, and the numerous snakes had not helped.

"You okay girly-girl?" Dive asked me as they followed me into the vehicle.

"I am now," I admitted feeling a bit embarrassed, "I've fought Dragonus's henchmen dozens of times, monsters, skeleton warriors, mad science experiments, robots, and plant monsters! So why was I unnerved by a bunch of normal snakes?"

"I wouldn't say those snakes were normal," Tanya attempted to reassure me.

I shrugged as I sat in my seat, wanting to get away from the tower before us.

"Phobias don't always make sense," she added as Duke came up behind me rustling my hair affectionately.

"How about we get somethin' ta eat?" He suggested, "It would be a waste ta get ta wear our street clothes just for this."

I knew he was trying to help me feel better, and it was working. It was't often that we all got to hang out together not wearing our battle gear or hockey uniforms. Wildwing was dressed in teal slacks with a matching shirt, with his usual white and yellow jacket over it. Mallory wore lavender leggings with a matching belly shirt, over top of it was a purple short sleeved jacket. Tanya was wearing a light purple dress shirt with lavender leggings. Grin wore his usual pants with a grey muscle shirt. Nosedive was wearing his usual jeans and teal t-shirt with his white vest jacket. Duke was wearing black slacks with a burgundy turtle neck with a burgundy and teal trench coat. While I wore burgundy leggings with a black turtleneck beneath a teal blouse and a short burgundy skirt.

We decided to go with Nosedive's suggestion to get pizza before heading home. I sat between Duke and my adopted twin brother at the booth. We talked about up coming games, comics Dive had been reading, and other bits of news. Times like these brief between crime fighting, hockey games, and Phil's scheduling; but when they occured I always enjoyed being around everyone. Despite everyone's differing personalities and interests we had become a family of sorts.

After we were about done eating I felt Duke slip an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him purposely. When I tried to resist a little he just smiled playfully and I gave up, leaning into him now. Then I heard him whisper, "Feelin' better sweetheart?"

I nodded, knowing full well I was blushing. This only encouraged him. I noticed Mallory rolling her eyes, "You two are hopeless."

Nosedive nudged me with his elbow, teasing me as well, "Your face is like the pizza sauce sis."

"So is it time for practice yet?" Grin questioned after nodding at me silent plea.

Wildwing sighed, "Probably; but this was a good idea guys."

Soon after we were leaving the pizzaria. Though as we were heading out the older of my two brothers pulled me aside, even evading Duke for the moment.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just thought we haven't talked a lot lately," he said.

I looked at him puzzled, until he laughed, "As siblings I mean. When we were on Puck World you asked for help and advice more."

I smiled at the memories of our life on Puck World. I remembered living with Wildwing and Nosedive's family. We often stayed up late talking and hanging out as close siblings do.

"Look, as your big brother I'm just happy to see how you've grown since then."

"It's thanks to our team," I told him before noticing a familiar shoulder leaning out from behind the nearby wall. Wildwing noticed too, and we both laughed a little.

"If you need any advice or just want to talk, I'm not far little sister," he chuckled as he rustled my hair, and I nodded a smile in response.

Duke:

I had stayed back far enough to not overhear what they were talking about. Though while waiting I had to distract Phil from looking for our leader. He was still complaining about the deal we had walked out on. He tried to ask me where he was, but a warning look of annoyance paused his attempts for a little bit.

Heart:

"He makes you happy doesn't he?" Wildwing asked me now.

I blushed.

"He does; but being a part of this team with all of you does too," I answered as I thought about the last few months, "You're all my family."

"A family that fights crime together?"

I couldn't help but giggle a little bit.

"You've come a long way from the lonely stranger I found on our doorstep," Wildwing commented.

I gave him a puzzled look.

"Well, you were kind of withdrawn at first. It was like you were lost. I was actually afraid that you might take off one day, but you never did."

"I didn't feel that I needed to run anymore. You, Dive, and Canard..."I trailed off as though trying to remember something, "you three saved me, and accepted me. You even took me to school with you, despite what your peers thought."

"And now you're much healthier," Wildwing added, "Despite Dive's concauctions that he tried to feed you."

I laughed again, remembering Nosedive trying to feed me "comfort foods" he had created when I had first arrived.

"When we arrived here on Earth you could have gone anywhere you wanted. No one told you that you had to stay here in Anaheim with us. You could have gone anywhere you wanted, maybe find your original family?" Wildwing pondered.

"But I have you and the others," I mentioned firmly, "Why would I go seeking out a family that wasn't there when I had to run from place to place? Since I joined this team, there has never been a doubt in my mind on where I am supposed to be. When humans were ready to judge me, you all welcomed me with open arms. I belong with all of you, and...I can't really imagine life without you guys."

Wildwing smiled hearing all of this, patting my head proudly as he did.

That's when I noticed Duke approaching us.

"I can't hold him back much longer Wing," he apologized as Phil ran up to Wildwing now.

Our very patient leader shook his head, groaning as our manager pestered him. My hand met with my forehead as I tried not to laugh. For Phil was a part of our quirky family, like an oddball cousin.

As we boarded the Migrator to go home I couldn't help but beam with pride a little. As I secretly looked to each team member I knew the impact they had made in my life. Every single one of them had influenced my personality in some way. I really just couldn't imagine living anywhere else, or with anyone else.

That night however, Dragonus would put all of this to the test.

We were responding to a signal from Drake One about an attack deep in the city. Dragonus had called us out to make an offer, a deal to return home to Puck World. This divided our team in a way I had never seen before. Wildwing and Mallory stayed true to our mission, knowing the fight we had yet to finish. Yet Duke and Nosedive both said that we should return home to Puck World, fearing that other threats had come to their home planet. Though I was surprised by this, I guess I shouldn't have been. Just because I wasn't attatched to my home world, didn't mean they should feel the same about theirs. Yet I decided to side with Grin and remain neutral. Whatever they decided, where ever they wanted to go, I would stay with them. This left poor Tanya to decide.

As she nervously trie to find her words, Tanya was interrupted by a flashing light that disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. This light revealed Phil, but not as we knew him. This Phil had let his hair grow loose and long down his shoulders. He had a five o'clock shadow, and wore make-shift battle gear. Before we had much time to respond he held out a staff like device yelling, "It's a trap! Grab on this if you wanna live!"

"Phil?"

"Do it!" He interrupted Mallory quickly.

AS we each grabbed a hold of the staff a blinding light engulfed us, transporting us along with the Migrator away. In what felt like an instant we found ourselves in a torn up world resembling the one we had once been in.

After looking around and asking Phil what had happened he told us that we were ten years in the future!

"Aw man, it's Puck World all over again," Nosedive said in shock.

Phil explained how Dragonus had attacked the planet after we had been destroyed, putting a knot in my stomach as I looked to everyone. Dragonus had taken over and destroyed what ever he wanted before leaving with his goons to conquer the galaxy.

As he finished his story we drove up to what shoud have been a familiar place to us, only to find a crator where the Pond once stood. I felt my hands cover my own lips as I stifled a cry of shock. Though I knew the gravity of the situation, it hadn't really hit me until we found our home completely gone.

"The pond...is gone?" I heard Wildwing ask, voicing what we felt.

I felt Duke's gentle hand grasp my shoulder. He must have noticed my reaction.

"Are you kidding? It's the first thing Dragonus hit!" Phil exclaimed, but then he smiled slyly, "Of course there's one part he didn't get."

Though my hope I had quickly left when we entered the room through the elevator. The once vibrant walls were now rusted from erosion and time unkept. Our doors now fought their functions as Phil had to push them open. The air felt thick, and silence echoed through the halls that laughter once filled. Drake One's monitor had ceased to glow a long time ago, and the control panels were dusty from not being used.

Duke:

While Phil told us about their plan and introduced us to the three scientists that made up their small resistance I began to wonder about some things. How had they held up in here for ten years? Where were they getting food and supplies? Phil said he had brought us because we knew how to help somehow.

I finally pulled our former manager aside to get some answers to these questions, "Phil, how have ya been able ta survive all these years? How are ya gettin' food an' supplies?"

"Well Duke, you see," Phil stumbled as he grew nervous and glanced toward the others, and I noticed he was looking at Heart without letting her know.

We then heard a door push open from the other side of the room. Though Phil and I seemed to be the only two that noticed. Yet neither of us saw who had come in or out.

"Who was that?" I asked.

Phil rubbed the back of his neck, sweating a bit now, as he answered quietly, "You knew her better than anyone else Duke. Even ten years later you still hold that honor."

I stood in shock, looking to Heart for a moment who was listening to the others make our plan. I then turned back to Phil, "Ya don't mean? How?"

Phil shook his head, "All I know is that you two got seperated during your last battle with him. When I formed the resistance though, she was the first to join me in the fight."

Phil then stepped aside, as though urging me to see for myself what he was talking about. Without any further hesitation I ran down the hallway of our battered home until I came to what would have been my room in our time.

Listening carefully I found myself standing in the hall, as though nervous for some reason about who would be behind the rusted metal doors. Yet something urged me to pry them open as I entered through. Once they were open I stepped through quietly, looking ahead into the dimly lit room.

There I found her standing with her back to the doorway. She was cradling her left arm, injured from a recent fight. Her uniform that once resembled my own ws torn into shreds in various places, leaving large holes and fraid sleeves at the wrists and right leg. Among the the tears beneath her clothing were several bandages and scars. Her burgundy hair was still pulled back into a ponytail but was much shorter. Her other battle gear was tossed on the ground, also worn out and ripped just as much as what she had just slipped into before I'd opened the doors.

"Heart?" I ventured in disbelief as she stiffened, almost as though my voice had stung her somehow.

"It can't be you..." her voice shook before strengthening her own voice, "It...it's been ten years since I last saw you..."

"Heart," I tried again as I stepped into the room now.

She heard my approaching footsteps and moved further away from me. I paused.

"I know Phil was going to try and bring you here before you all left, but I couldn't believe that it would happen. Not after so long."

"Left? What are ya talkin' about?"

"When you left for Puck World."

"I don't understand, Phil said we were destroyed?"

Her injured hand tried to ball into a fist as she shook now, "That's what he assumed; because I couldn't bare to tell him the truth! I couldn't bring myself tol tell him that all of you left!"

"Heart? How did ya get left here sweetheart? I never would have-"

"You didn't Duke!" She finally snapped, resting her good hand over her face.

I tried to approach her again, but she stepped further away.

"Heart, please look at me," I said gently.

She hesitated, taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Then she turned around, facing me in the dim light. Yet I could still see her clearly, revealing the claw marks scaring her face.

"Heart?!" I waivered as I walked up to her, resting my hands gently on her shoulders, "What happened to you sweetheart?"

Future Heart:

The night Dragonus had made his offer the vote had finally been decided. We knew what this would mean, but everyone seemed so eager to go home. All I could do was stay with them as I always had. I had to support them. Especially him. If they wished to go home, then I would go with them.

Yet as we stepped out of the Migrator and headed towards the opening gateway, I happened to look up and to the side. That's when I noticed Wraith standing on the roof of a nearby building, aiming a large weapon toward us! It was a trap?! Had the others not noticed?!

As the others approached Dragonus and the portal I found myself slipping away. Somehow I went unnoticed as I climbed up to the roof, keeping to the shadows as I crept up to the ghostly saurian.

That's when I looked down to find everyone stepping through the portal. Wraith did not try to fire an attack, nor were any of my teammates harmed in any way. I watched as all six of my teammates stepped through, uncertain at first as they did. Then I watched as the last one, the one dearest to me, went through.

"Duke, wait!" I called to him without thinking about where I was.

Startled, Wraith dropped his weapon and turned to me. Quickly he grabbed for me as I tried to jump down to follow my friends. Yet just as I was about to reach the portal Dragonus crushed the gateway device beneath his clawed foot. He sneered at me, snickering as he walked up to me, "You should have stayed with them girl. Now you'll never see them again!"

In shock, before I could even react, I felt Seige grab hold of my arms as he twisted them behind me. I didn't even cry out as I was too focused on the portal that had sealed up immediately, "Guys! Duke!"

Dragonus now grabbed hold of the collar of my battle gear, tearing it at the neck. He laughed cruely as I finally snapped out of my shock for the moment. I struggled to get out of his grip, but his other clawed hand grasped the arm I had managed to pull free.

"They left you behind little girl!" He mocked, "They must not need you now that they're home!"

"It was an accident!" I spat, "I know what you might have done to them!"

Dragonus gave me a fake wounded look, "But I kept my word didn't I? They are home on Puck World, and you are here all alone because you didn't believe me!"

I looked at the ground as he laughed again, "But I'm a good mood, why don't you join us? You can come with us and take revenge for being left behind! Come on, what do you say?"

I glared at him, my eyes spitting with rage as he released my arm to offer a clawed hand to me.

"Don't be a fool, you know who will be in charge of Earth, at the very least think of your own survival."

"Never!" I finally snapped, spitting at him, "I will never join you!"

Dragonus whipped the spit off of his face angrily, "You'll regret that child! Fine! Don't join me! But believe me, I will make sure you never forget this night! The night they abandoned you here on my planet!"

All I remember in that moment is looking up, trying to shake the fear from my face in that had suddenly taken over, as his clawed hand rose up and then fell. His claws raked across my face from the left side of my forehead across to my right cheek. As his claws dug a reluctant scream of pain ripped from my throat. Somehow, I realized, he had missed my eye; but the pain still tore through me, and I felt the warm flow of blood beginning to run down my face.

"Now whenever you look in the mirror you will remember this moment vividly, won't you?" He laughed coldly before releasing me as I dropped to the ground.

"Let's go, we have important plans to attend to," Dragonus told his men.

"Uh, shouldn't we take her with us, or just get rid of her all together?" Seige asked hesitantly, "I mean, couldn't she disrupt our plans?"

"What can she do without them?" Dragonus laughed still, "No just let her live with her mistake. Besides in 24 hours no one will be able to do anything."

Rage tore through me as I got up to try and attack him with the sword Duke had given me in case I couldn't use my glaive for some reason. Yet I was quickly stopped as Seige retaliated, striking my back with his clubbed tail. He knocked me to the ground, slamming his tail onto my back once more and breaking my sword in the process as he slammed into it as well. My heart ached to see what Duke had once given me shattering into pieces.

I tried once more to get to my feet, but was met with a blast of energy that surged through me as I fell to the ground stunned.

I awoke hours later to find the street abandoned by the saurians and their drones. Seething with pain I got to my feet to see the puddle of blood on the ground from where my head had been. For a moment I had forgotten what had happened. Yet reality began to set in as I found the Migrator empty.

Inside I found some bandages as I tried to wrap my own head with them. Then I slowly got behind the wheel while I carefully drove home. Once there I started to head up to the rink when I suddenly felt dizzy. How much blood had I lost? As I stepped out of the elevator the room began to spin and I began to miss my steps. Finally I collapsed to the ground again, barely hearing a familiar voice call my name as I passed out.

My vision was a bit blury when I first woke up again. I slowly looked around the infirmary to find if anyone was around.

"Thank Heaven," I heard Phil say relieved.

I tried to sit up now, "Phil?"

"Yeah, what happened Heart? Where's the guys?" He asked.

I looked at the ground, unsure of what to say. How had we not considered Phil and the other friends we had made on Earth? How had we not at least tried to say goodbye? How could I tell him that they had left?

Finally I heard myself say as I unwillingly began to cry, waking up from the shock I had been in, "They're gone Phil."

"Gone? What are you talking about?"

"They're gone!" I yelled, feeling the tears flow as hot as my blood had the night before.

Wait! The night before? What time was it? I looked to the clock on the desk to see what time it was now.

"Phil, is it still Friday?" I asked, not wanting any other answer than yes.

"It's Saturday night, why?"

I flew from the infirmary bed, rushing to the elevator. Phil tried his best to keep up with me.

"Heart! Get back into bed! You can't be unconscious all day and run out like this!"

I had to find out what Dragonus had planned. I had to try and stop him despite what he thought. I couldn't let the others down!

Yet as Phil and I ran out of the building for various attempts we felt the ground quaking beneath us. Horrified I looked out towards the city to see a large ship emerging from the Earth beneath us. As it took flight I understood too well that I was much too late. This new Raptor dwarfed it's predescor as it seemed to cast it's shadow over a half of Anaheim.

"Phil, get back inside!" I warned as it headed towards the Pond.

"What's going on?!" He exclaimed in fear and confusion.

"Just get inside!" I ordered as I began pulling him back into the building.

As we rushed through the door I turned back briefly to see a lazer being charged as it set it's sights on our home.

"Let's go!" I yelled as I dragged him towards the elevator, slamming my hand on the button to open the doors.

Once inside I quickly hit the button again, closing the doors behind us as we were lowered to the headquarters beneath us. As we hurried out of the elevator we looked for a safe room to get too as fast as we could. Yet before we could get very far away from the elevator it happened! The building over us shook violently as the attack on our home hit! Our headquarters quaked with an unearthly rage as metal doors shifted off their tracks, monitors cracked and shattered, pieces of wall and ceiling shook, and alarms tore through the air around us to tell us to take further cover. The blasts ripped through the building for several minutes, knocking Phil and I off our feet numerous times as we tried to take refuge in the infirmary once more. Finally as one last lazer hit the lights went out.

Then there was silence. The quaking grew more distant. Our generators kicked on finally giving us some light.

"Are you okay Phil?" I asked as I got back up to my feet.

"I...I'm not sure," he admitted.

I then went back to the elevator, and I was surprised to find it still functioning. Even more surprising was Phil following me as we ascended at first, but then it stopped. We soon found ourselves having to climb the rest of the way up. As we approached the surface above I once again was overwhelmed with shock. Somehow I stepped out onto the floor above to find us standing in a crator where the Pond once stood. Not a single wall stood after the onslaught. Everything was just gone.

I was unable to keep from dropping to my knees, my eyes wide and my voice silent as I took in the horror that we had only just begun to live. The home we had come to know was now a mere hole in the ground. My hands grasped at the Earth I kneeled on, as though trying to dig up some trace of the Pond, some trace of our home. My body shook from shock, my head ached, and my heart burned. My stomach flipped and turned as I tried not to vomit from the horror around me. Yet I would not be able to fool myself that this was only a mere nightmare. For off in the distance I could feel and hear similar attacks raining upon the city.

"Heart, we need to take cover for a while longer. It's safe down there for now," Phil told me, trying to take in what he was witnessing.

Somehow he managed to get me back downstairs. Though a part of me felt like I should be trying to fight back, another part screamed that it was too late. What could I do on my own? Without the others I couldn't do anything to stop Dragonus. They had left the Earth in his claws. They had gone home leaving the fight they had brought here. A part of me knew that they couldn't have meant for this all to happen.

For now we decided to take cover and wait before acting in any way. Yet I didn't know what the point to anything was at the moment. It was as though I had snapped inside. Shouldn't I be running like I did before? What was keeping me here in this abandoned, destroyed home? As I walked to my old room I found myself stop just before it. I couldn't break away from the door I had once entered countless times. His room, now empty just like all the others.

I then found myself opening the door and stepping through into what was once his bedroom. Almost every book had fallen off the shelves from the impact. Broken glass from picture frames, lamps, and glasses was now scattered throughout the room. Surprisingly some of the furnature had stayed stable. This included the bed that I found myself walking up to. I slowly sat on the mattress. As I sank into the mattress I looked to the nightstand to find a picture frame knocked over on it's face. I carefully picked up the frame to find our happy faces smiling back at me.

The tears could not be held back any longer. As I looked at my own blushing face I felt my heart breaking into hundreds of pieces. I carefully brushed my fingers over his face, longing to be able to do this without a left behind photo.

Hours went by before I found myself drifting off to sleep, giving in to exhaustion.

The very next morning I awoke with a start, forgetting where I was for a moment, as well as forgetting what had happened. I got up quickly, eagerly hoping to see Duke and the others just in the main room as I had often found them before. However the harsh silence that my reality now brought hit me hard as I ran into the hallway. The battered walls reminded me of the emptiness I would find if I continued on through what was left of the Pond. Checking on each of their rooms didn't help me either, as each one was just as broken and abandoned as his had been.

The next few days went on despite my wanting to return back to the ones from before. Every so often the Earth shook from a distant wave of attacks. Yet our headquarters managed to stay strong around us somehow. We had gotten word from Officer Kleghorn had had to take cover recently when a weird ray washed over the city, morphing people that were hit into mutations of various degrees.

After that weeks drifted by us, each day the same as the last. Waking up with some hope that the team had returned only to find that more destruction had spread out further over the Earth. As I heard these reports I felt myself growing angry, and yet not angry at the same time. I wanted to blame them for leaving this all to happen. I wanted to let my heart harden. I wanted to even forget them at one point.

However, I couldn't. No matter how angry I was, I couldn't blame them for wanting to go home so badly. I knew how much they had missed Puck World. I felt that my still being on Earth had been a cruel accident. No matter what, I couldn't bring myself to hate them. Nor could I bring myself to leave behind what little was standing that we had built.

Though I also didn't know how to fight on anymore either. As more time went on I felt myself sink into a state that I couldn't seem to break away from. I felt simply lost. For weeks Phil tried to talk to me, as though trying to break me from the sorrow I had been swallowed by. In that time I could not bare to tell him what had really happened that day, despite being reminded of it every morning when I looked into the mirror. The scars left by Dragonus had not healed much, leaving claw marks over my face that still stung. And everytime I looked I felt a stabbing feeling in my heart, as though my heart shattered day after day.

One day Phil had had enough. We had been sitting in what had once been the wreck room when he got up from the computer he had been working on.

"We can't just sit here anymore Heart! We have to do something!" He declared.

I looked at him, my eyes growing dimmer with each day as I slipped into painful memories, "What are we supposed to do Phil?"

"We have to try and fight back now! We have to form a resistance like you and the others did on Puck World!"

A pain ripped through me when he said all of this, and I gripped my head wanting desperately to forget.

"Phil stop it! All we can do right now is survive!"

"Listen! I know losing the team has been devastating for you! But they wouldn't want us to give up! You know that Heart!"

"How do you know what they would want us to do?!" I demanded, jumping up from my seat, "They're gone!"

"Yes Heart! They are! But we are still here! We are still alive and what are we doing?! We're sitting here when I know you would have jumped to fight if they were still here!"

"I was an idiot for joining this fight!" I finally screamed, trying to turn away and run back to what I now considered my bedroom.

Yet Phil for once got to me before I could get away, grabbing my shoulder, "Heart! You can't hide in his room forever!"

"It's not his room anymore! None of these rooms mean anything anymore!" I tried to slip away.

But his next words stunned me, "I know you hide in there Heart. I know you miss all of them, especially Duke! But you know that they wouldn't want you to live out your life clinging to their photos hoping they'll show up at the door! I don't want to fight either, but we have to now! They are gone, but we are still here!"

My hands went to my face now as I struggled not to break down. Phil's grip on my shoulder loosened a little as he tried to say more carefully, "We have to try Heart. Even if we fail, we have to at least try. For them, and for us."

"When did you get so brave?" I tried to desperately laugh.

Phil shrugged.

Then he sighed, "Look, no one's saying you can't still miss them. But you know he would tell you to keep fighting on. And he would hate seeing you cry like this."

As painful as it was, I remembered when we had first arrived on Earth. When we became crime fighters because of Duke's speech about fighting evil where ever we found it. His echoing words felt like warm rain on a stone like heart at this point. Then more memories broke through the barrier I had built in my mind from denial and anger. Living with my two brothers, meditating with Grin, helping Tanya to build our gear and equipment, shopping with Mallory while dealing with jerks at the mall, and of course...being with him. All of these memories and feelings washed through me as I wept.

Then I finally stood straight up after kneeling on the ground crying for a few minutes. I whipped the tears from my face as they stung the fresh scars Dragonus had left on me. At last I knew what needed to be done.

"I need a minute Phil," I told him as he stepped back away from me, concerned he had pushed too far.

I quickly hurried to Duke's old room, finding my uniform that I had tossed on the ground. It was mostly intact still, with only a tear in the neck part where Dragonus had grabbed me. I slipped it on and found my glaive as I fastened it to my back. Then in the shirt pocket I tucked away two photos. One of us as a team, and one of just he and I.

With renewed determination I returned to the wreck room where I found Phil. He too had changed into some sortof battle gear of his own, and he had cut his hair free of his usual business ponytail.

"You find others to join the resistance," I stated firmly, "Lead us into this fight, and I'll get us whatever supplies we need."

So our resistance began to form. Over time we began to recieve the aid of others as we fought back. Though we had soon found out that Dragonus and his henchmen had left to conquer the galaxy, leaving a friend of his in charge. Yet no one knew who this friend was. Either way we continued to fight on.

More bright minds joined us along the way as they invented weapons to aid us in our war. I went on stealing our supplies from the faceless enemy we fought. Though through many of these missions I found myself getting into many scrapes and close calls. More and more scars were left on me, my battle gear took more wear and tear with every fight until I was forced to use the one I had made. Though I still held onto the one that mirrored his own as a symbol of comfort for some reason.

Yes, despite how foolish it was, I still held onto some shred of hope that they would return one day. That perhaps one day I would wake up from this nightmare and find him instead. Yet with each passing year this hope slipped away from my grasp. Photos that lingered throughout the Pond were turned face down. The two I had held onto at first were shoved into the drawer beside his old bed. And over time I felt my heart break to match my battered body. With every mission I grew more and more reckless, with a thin determination to complete the mission growing thinner and thinner as time marched on. Yet something kept me from giving in still.

Eventually years had nearly turned into a decade when Phil approached me one night. I had just come back with more supplies, dropping them at the door of the lab the three scientists that were left now occupied most of the time. Though they had seemed friendly enough I had long since given up talking to most everyone around me. Phil was one of the last remaining humans I dropped this for.

This time he did not fail to notice the injury my right leg had taken on.

He tried to scold me when he saw, "Are you trying to get yourself killed out there? We need you alive."

"So I can go on stealing food and what ever else we need?" I spat with venom in my voice now.

"No, because Duke would kill me if he ever learned I let you get killed," he answered nervously.

"Stop it Phil! They're gone!" I reminded.

"Maybe not," Phil hinted with a sly smile.

I froze, "What do you mean?"

Phil could barely contain his excitement, "They think they've found a way to bring them here Heart!"

"What?! How?"

"They're building a time travel device! They've been researching this for the last few years and they think it'll finally work! If it does we can get the team here to help us! Then maybe we can save them from being destroyed!" Phil exclaimed eagerly.

"Phil it won't work!" I snapped.

"Heart we have to try something! We can't hold out much longer!" Phil argued looking at my battered right shoulder now, "You can't hold on much longer."

"I'm holding out just fine!"

"Heart humanity is fading, this is our last chance," Phil pressed.

I began to turn away in disbelief when he stopped me with one sentence, "Wouldn't you give anything to see him again?"

"Phil I've warned you to stop using my memories with him against me!"I warned again.

"It's the only way I can get you to listen! With every year you slip further away and grow more reckless. But when I mention-"

"Stop it Phil!"

He pushed anyway, "When I mention Duke you listen. Some part of you still loves him, and when I bring up his name you come back to us a little."

I glared at our former manager, "I hate that you're right."

"There is a problem though," he pointed out sheepishly as he looked at my glaive.

"What?" I questioned hesitantly.

"To have even a chance of this working we need your glaive."

"What?!"

"We need something to be a strong base for the device, something with the kind of energy your glaive has to get the device going. Look, if we had anything else at all we would use it. But your glaive is our only chance."

I hesitated still. If this didn't work than one of the last remaining things I had left from them would be taken apart. My battle gear resembled little more than rags at this point.

"Please Heart, give us this chance to maybe set the world right," Phil begged.

Letting out a deep breath I took the glaive and forced it into his hands before walking away. Though I doubted it would actually work, perhaps some part of me was still hanging on somehow.

Yet the truth of where they were lingered. What if they were happier on Puck World? Why should we pull them into this now? Perhaps they were better off not knowing all of this was going to happen? They were with their own families, on their own home planet. So why change that? Why pull them away from the ten years of happiness they had longed to return to. Though as these thoughts raced through my head I felt a pain inmy chest. What if he were happier this way? It had been so long, they must have had families of their own now, homes they loved. Perhaps these thoughts were why I had grown into the person I was now. If they had wanted to come back for me, they would have by now wouldn't they?

Despite all of this I had given in. Knowing all of this, a small part of me hoped for a change as I looked over very worn photos one last time before shoving them into the drawer again.

A few days later Phil had come to find me to show the finished device. We were just days away from the moment they had left. The truth of that night stay sealed away within me, but the reminder of it stung as though the scars were fresh after ten years.

When the morning came I left for a mission, not wanting to know if it had really worked or not. For I couldn't find myself believing that there may still be some hope ten years later. That after all these years I may still see them again. That a decade later I might see his face once more.

Duke:

After she had told me what had happened that night and over time I found myself speechless as I looked at her. All that she had endured, all the scars that marked her body now, all the anger she felt towards everything was because of us. Not even a day later in our time she had told us that we were her family, only to end up alone for trying to save our very lives.

"You...you were tryin' to protect all of us," I said softly as I tried to grasp her hand.

She pulled away quickly, as though bitten.

"Heart...I-"

"Ten years," she whispered as tears stung her scarred eyes, "For ten years I hoped all of you would come back and finish the fight we brought to this world! For ten years I begged to be a family again and try and save this planet!"

With every sentence she grew louder with anger, until she finally broke down crying in front of me, though still angry as she said, "For ten years I wished to see you again!"

"Heart," I breathed, stunned by her tears that she tried to push back even now.

Finally she stopped trying to pull away as I gently grasped her shoulders, "Sweetheart why did ya stay here? You could have run?"

"Because this place is all I had left!" She snapped, looking around my broken up room through a blurred vision.

At that moment she couldn't stop herself anymore as she crumbled a bit into my grip on her. What strength she had reserved to stand strong before me after waiting so long was breaking down.

"The worst part is that I never truly blamed you! I couldn't bring myself to hate any of you! I knew how much you wanted to go home! If I had just stayed with you guys I wouldn't have been left here!" She paused, "But no matter how much I wished that, I know that I could never have left this planet to the horrors it faced, knowing what I know now."

"Heart," I whispered at I could no longer hold back from embracing her, "I am so sorry."

She didn't hold me in return, but she didn't pull away either. Finally she risked a glance at me as she said, "A part of you stayed with me. I've been stealing food and supplies for our resistance we've formed."

I looked at her again, a deep regret taking over my heart as I did. I then tried to brush her hair that fell into her eyes gently to the side, only to find her trying to pull away again as I revealed the deep scars left by Dragonus. Rage boiled inside of me when I saw his claw marks left over her face. She must have noticed, as she tried to cover them up again. Yet before she could hide them I found myself kissing her where they marked her. It was as though i were tring to tell her that with or without them she was still beautiful, and that I still loved her.

Then I held her carefully by the shoulders as I looked into her tearful eyes, "I'm goin' ta make this right Heart"

I held her close to me now as I thought of the Heart I knew. The Heart waiting with the others making our plan. The happy young woman I knew, who was always so eager and determined to fight along side us. I thought of how she looked at me with trust. How something like this could have happened to her. No, this was not going to be this way! Even if it meant never returning home ever again I would never leave her to be alone again!

"I will fix this Heart! You will not be left behind! Phil has already brought you here with us, so this future is already goin' ta change! I will not let this happen to ya!" I promised her as I looked into her eyes yet again.

"Duke," she breathed as she held back her tears again.

"I promise sweetheart, I will keep you with me!"

My heart ached as I held her, "But Heart, I want ya ta know how much I love you! I know where ever I am in this future that I am trying desperately to get back ta you! You are the best things that has ever happened ta me!"

She tried to smile up at me for the first time in ten years, "As you were to me. Even when I wanted to give up, a small part of me held on hoping to see you just once more."

She then at last allowed herself to wrap her arm around me as her injured one fell to her side. I in turn held her tightly.

"I don't want to let go," she breathed softly.

"I know sweetheart; but I have ta go so I can fix this. I can't let this future happen. I have ta save you from fighting for so long on our behalf," I told her as I slowly began to pull away.

Before leaving I helped her bandage her arm and made a sling for it. Then I gently sat her on my old bed, "Please, stay here and rest. Don't fight anymore for right now, okay?"

"Duke-"

"I know you've had to wait so long already. Jus' wait one more day, please. We will fix this and I will keep you with me. I won't leave you alone."

As tears slowly ran down her face I knelt beside the bed and looked at her. I held her hand gently, trying to keep my own composure as I watched her just a moment longer, "Heart, please know that no matter what happens that I love you. Thank you for trying to save our lives that night, and thank you for fighting the battle we almost gave up for."

Before reluctantly pulling away I drew close to her as I kissed her. Then finally I got up and stepped away. Though before running down the hall I heard her whisper to me, "I love you. Please save our home, and please save the family we once had."

"We will sweetheart!" I answered as I started running back down the hall back to the others.

When I reached the main room where the others waited I found Heart waiting patiently for me. She was standing beside Grin and Nosedive as she listened to the others finish our plan. Immediately she noticed me entering from the hallway. I couldn't stop myself from quickly running up to her and taking her into my arms. As I held her I found myself kissing the top of her head where her scars had been the deepest.

"Duke? Are you okay?" I heard her ask.

"Yes sweetheart," I assured her as I whispered to myself, "An' I promise you'll be okay."

She looked at me bewildered.

"We're goin' ta save this world," I promised.

Heart:

I knew something had happened, but I felt that I shouldn't push things right now. As we headed out Duke kept checking to make sure I was beside him. On our way to the master tower he looked so focused on the mission ahead, more so than usual. Finally he turned to me and spoke, "Heart, please stay close ta me for this mission okay?"

"Duke, what's wrong?" I pushed gently.

Duke shook his head for a moment and then forced a sweet smile that didn't really convince me this time, "I jus' need ya nearby. Please jus' believe me for this one, okay sweetheart?"

On our way Nosedive had insisted that we stop when he saw the mall torn to shreds. Though Phil urged him not to, Nosedive couldn't help but run out to see the damage for himself, "These are my old stomping grounds man! I had friends here!"

Yet just after saying that Nosedive was grabbed by the leg, dragged down with Grin by a mutated man dressed in a cloak. I jumped up to try and run to them to help, "Nosedive! Grin!"

Yet before I reached the door Duke grabbed my arm as we heard Mallory assure Wildwing that they would be safe. She then added, "If we lose that device there's no hope for this world!"

We then hurried to the master tower, splitting into two groups as we went inside. Wildwing and Tanya went in search of whoever had taken over, and to find out how all of this had happened in the first place. While I went with Duke and Mallory to set the explosive at the main computer as we had on Puck World. Once the device was set the three of us ran out to find the Migrator and Phil gone! Just as we did some hunter drones marched out the tower and began firing at us. Duke grabbed my arm as the three of us took cover.

Just as our cover was litterally blown Grin and Nosedive emerged from the Earth below, riding a giant snake called an enforcer! I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up at the sight of this creature.

"Grin?! How did you ever tame that thing?!" Mallory exclaimed.

"Animals really like him," Nosedive stated, sounding just as surprised.

Grin then waved a calm and for me to approach it as he rested his other hand on the snake, keeping it relaxed. I shook my head at first, but my gentle giant of a friend urged me to stand next to him for a moment. I took a deep breath as I stepped up to him as he took my hand and together we pet the creature, "Let's face your fear together."

I smiled, "I guess it's not so bad."

Grin smiled proudly in return.

Just then Duke asked behind me in concern, "But where are the others?! The bomb's about ta go off!"

As though they had heard us Phil came tearing out of the building in the Migrator with Tanya and Wildwing with him inside. We quickly went aboard ourselves as the snake took refuge deep beneath the Earth. We drove away just as the device went off, bringing the tower to it's crumbling defeat.

Wildwing told us who had been running the planet in Dragonus's absence. Given all the snakes it did make sense, if not odd still.

Then we prepared to head back to our own time. Yet as we gathered together I turned my head to the side, as though someone on the rooftop had caught my attention.

Duke:

I looked to see what Heart had noticed when I saw her watching us from her hiding space on the roof. She was leaning against the room with her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned out slightly against the wall. However I could see a hopeful smile on her face as she then clutched her heart. When she looked to me I held the hand of her current self, as though to signify my promise to her. That things were going to change and she would stay with us. She nodded silently in response and then slipped away into the shadows entirely. Though for a moment it actually looked as if she were fading away as we took hold of the time travel device. I hoped with all my heart that this meant we had saved her, as well as this world we now called home.

As we took hold of the staff Wildwing asked Tanya confidetally, "So Tanya, should we take Dragonus up on his offer and return to Puck World?"

"No way! I'm going to stop that creep if it takes the rest of my life!" She assured as we teleported back.

Though it turned out that Phil had accidentally set our return to the day after he had taken us. Dragonus and his henchmen were gone, and just about to launch their attack on the city. We had mere minutes to try and stop him as we rushed to the Aerowing for a better chance. Fortunately Tanya had seen the blue prints for the Super Raptor that had now taken flight into the skies. As we distracted Dragonus and his men Tanya managed to swoop in with one of the gliders and shoot into it's weak point, causing it fall into Phineous P. Viper's very own sky scraper!

"Well look at that!" Nosedive laughed, "We managed to put that snake out of business twice in one episode!"

We all shared in this laughter a bit as Tanya returned to the Aerowing unharmed. Then we headed home, and as the Pond came into view again I felt relief wash over me. Perhaps everyone else did too, for as I looked around them they shared some sort of reaction to seeing it unharmed.

"Do you think we really stopped that future from happening?" Tanya asked as we took the elevator down to our headquarters.

"Maybe," Wildwing considered, "But as long as Dragonus is loose, the future is always in doubt."

We then discussed how Phil had changed so much in the future we had seen and how impressed we all had been by this. Yet as we entered the main room we found our current Phil, complaining about a photo shoot we had apparently missed. We all shared a good laugh as Wildwing siged patiently, "Well, give him about ten years."

When Wildwing said that though I found myself shuddering as I was haunted by who I had met in the future. I looked to the girl beside me as she tried to stiffle her laughter as Phil shook his head at us. I couldn't help but remember what had nearly happened to her. How a single instant had torn her away from us. Though I decided not to worry the others about a future we had appeared to change, I found myself taking Heart aside to my room.

Another sigh of relief escaped me as I entered the well lit room, finding everything as it should be.

"Duke, what happened?" I heard her finally push once more, "I know something's bothering you."

I looked at her scar free hands, gently holding them. Then with a reluctant sigh I told her who I had met, and about the future she had nearly been put through. As I explained I found myself secretly thanking Phil for saving our lives unknowingly from the blast Wraith would have delivered, and of course for knowing to go back far enough to keep Heart with us. Ten years in that forsaken future and she still at least had one person looking out for her.

Then I looked to her again to see her trying to take in everything as we sat on the bed now together. I found myself pulling her close to me, protectively as I promised her, "Heart, that is not goin' ta happen to ya."

"Duke?"

"No matter what, you will not be left alone."

She now hugged me back. Then I pulled back slightly to look at her clean, unscarred hands. A thought began to form as I kissed her left hand. I knew now more than anything what I wanted to do to form a different, better future for both of us, "I want ta be here with you, an' I want ta prove that I want to be a part of your future."

I watched as her cheeks grew into a deep red as she blushed, "Duke, what are you...?!"

I smiled as I assured her gently, "Soon sweetheart. You'll see."

She smiled hopefully in return. Then somehow, as though signifying this promise, I at last let go of the fears I had been harboring for her since meeting her other self. The scars on her that haunted me washed away. And I knew that somehow we had at the very least changed her future.

Then as I held her securely in my arms we found ourselves slowly drifting off to sleep. No longer fearful of what the future held for right now.


End file.
